Beta Recordings Space-Captain, Retro-Synth-80s connoisseur and flagrant rule shredder John B touches down in his drop-ship from a stacked touring schedule with a genuinely singular piece of work: âApproaching Zeroâ.

Over a year in the making, conducting and fusing the creative compositional skills of Russian multi-instrumentalist (& professional drone cameraman) Tairum and longstanding vocal cohort Xenturion Prime (FKA Code64), âApproaching Zeroâ is the culmination of all Johnâs signature muses: Stark futurism, 23rd century romanticism, time travel paradoxes, lavish 80s aesthetics and dancefloor theatrics, all wrapped up tightly in a neon glowing contemporary D&B production pressure cooker.

Itâs a quintessential example of the Synthwave/Epic-Retro-80s influenced Drum & Bass John has been honing and pioneering for over the last 15 years.

Galvanised by Bjorn from Xenturion Primeâs vocals alluding to meeting your past self in the future, approaching end of life (and mildly chiding the loudness war stormtroopers with its 0RMS double entendre) âApproaching Zeroâ shines an entirely different light on typical songwrit- ing trends in Drum & Bass and expresses Johnâs love for all things 80s to the very detail.

From his own VHS-era 80s Sci-Fi cyber art video to the unique unplugged version that strips the song back to its chords and acoustic guitar, this is the future âsynthwaveâ inspired D&B sound of John B that the past John B has been focused on since he championed his own distinctive âTrance and Bassâ direction with his infamous (now highly collectable) âTrance & Bassâ Mixmag cover CD many moons ago.

Destination future: John B ignites another big year with âOmega Racerâ. A surging return to his epic synthwave/D&B Hybrid sound with pure positivity and energy, whether youâre looking to uplift your dancefloor or hunting replicants, this is the perfect soundtrack.

The latest in an exciting new line of talent to feature on Beta this year including Hectix, Specialist Sound and Melotronics, âOmega Racerâ is the result of a rough demo sent to Beta HQ by young Austrian artist Wreckage Machine. Instantly hearing promise in the demo, John jumped on board and navigated the track towards the most euphoric pastures possible with a knowing sense of futuristic timelessness: A crystalline blast of pure synthesis powered with precision levels of barbed elation, this builds on the trance and bass sound Johnâs been sculpting for most of his career.

The sound of an open road into an unknown future – landing amid b2b US tours, forthcoming collaborations with Digital and Code 64, an appearance on Hospitalâs âSick Musicâ album and an in-demand festival season on the horizon – âOmega Racerâ marks the start of another busy year for the long-standing innovator and his imprint. Buckle up.

Beta Recordingsâ 50th release and the beginning of a new chapter for Label owner John B.

Evolve is an exciting new project, musically & conceptually, from John B. A consistent series of new releases, reliably out every month, a new musical direction, the rebranding of the John B Podcast to âEvolve Radioâ, and a futuristic touring concept & a compilation mix series to come.

Moving away from the traditional cycle of artist albums – long periods of quiet, then sudden push to promote one album, followed by silence again, this will mean a faster cycle from track completion to release, and steadier stream of adventurous, new music, continuously and regularly released â the vibe, awareness & promotion will develop organically as the project progresses.

The first track in this continuing series itself is entitled âEvolveâ and features speech & vocals contributed by fans from all over the world. A long, unfolding epic, morphing intro slowly builds into a tight, simple drop cutting straight through to the dancefloor, twists & develops further into a second drop where mangled reece basslines emerge from the depths and take things to the next level. A perfect release to set the bar high & begin an exciting new journeyâŚ

History begins here: 18 years after its release, John Bâs ground-breaking debut album âVisionsâ receives a long-overdue remastering and full deluxe reboot.

Rewind: âVisionsâ landed in 1998 on New Identity Recordings, part of one of the most influential label portfolios in drum & bass history captained by DJ SS, Formation Records. Responsible for signing and developing some of the most long-standing, influential artists in the genre, SSâs legacy and footprint is still crucially relevant as Formation Records celebrate 25 years of big bass business this year.

Aged with authority and authenticity, âVisionsâ is a succinct example of the forward-thinking output from the Formation camp at the time… And a reminder of how forward-thinking John B has been since day one. Strictly doing his own thing since he came into the game at 18; John penned âVisionsâ as two distinct chapters, both parts grasping two of late 90s drum & bassâs most exciting sounds and pulling them into groundbreaking new directions.

[Both mp3 & WAV orders come as a .zip folder with all tracks in – bear in mind the WAV one is a BIG file so will take a little while to download!]

Part one, âOrganicâ saw John swerve the standard sample-smashing of the era to create warm, full bodied natural grooves from real musicians. In a stark twist of contrast, part two âSyntheticâ foretold both the techstep phenomenon and his own angular, precision electro edge that were to soundtrack our entrance into the new century. One side au natural, one side machine manufactured: both techniques and approaches still dominant in drum & bass today… âVisionsâ by name, visionary by nature.

It also comes complete with total remake of his hugely successful Vangelis-inspired âStarburstâ. Previously constructed on analogue synths, âStarburst 2016â was re-created from the ground up with modern synths and contemporary production. While the scene continues to forage for antiquities, John shows us the other side of the sonic coin once again.

âStarburstâ isnât the only track to enjoy an update: every track you hear on the album has been remastered. The production, however, remains timeless: No one knew how well âVisionsâ would sound 18 years later. No one knew how well it would document drum & bassâs infant years. Still sounding slick and bursting with creative ideas, the album tells the story of both an artist and a genre growing up, fizzing with directions and ambitions.

âOrganicâ: A maze of mischievous jazz and funk experimentalism. A sharp sense of youthful melody and off-beat surprises await as we spring through the horn-heavy haze of tracks such as âSax Therapyâ, âJazz Sessionâ, the purring keys and slap bass of âSlamfunk (Moog Remix)â and sunset soul of âReflectionsâ. The spacious, Orient-focused penultimate track âThe Second Judgementâ teases for the darkness of whatâs set to follow…

âSyntheticâ: While the first part showcased Johnâs funkier, soulful musicality, âSyntheticâ really established his pedigree as a premiership producer. Forecasting todayâs highly technical, synthetic production style you can hear John pushing his machines to their limits, finding new sounds and techniques. The wriggling alien bass of âVCFâ, the razor-sharp Detroitian electro iciness of âElectro Shockâ, the iron-fist two-step and sci-fi breakdown of âTravelogueâ. Not to mention the clear proto techstep dynamics of âSight Beyondâ and âSecretsâ. Several years ahead of their time, they play a role in one of the most gamechanging chapters in drum & bass.

No surprises, then, that âVisionsâ found home in the selections of the most influential DJs at the time – Grooverider, SS, Adam F, Goldie, Photek. Itâs here where John dug deep foundations for his fusionist, futurist signature: an amorphous sense of development and narrative, tightly balanced shades and contrasts, well-chiselled breaks and sharp synthesis.

Every genre has its small selection of pivotal albums that show clear signs of progression, influence and documentation and brand new benchmarks: âVisionsâ is an album that lives up to its name in ways John never could have imagined at the time. The future is now…

History begins here: 18 years after its release, John Bâs ground-breaking debut album âVisionsâ receives a long-overdue remastering and full deluxe reboot.

Rewind: âVisionsâ landed in 1998 on New Identity Recordings, part of one of the most influential label portfolios in drum & bass history captained by DJ SS. Responsible for signing and developing some of the most long-standing, influential artists in the genre, SSâs legacy and footprint is still crucially relevant asÂ Formation Records alsoÂ celebrate 25 years of big bass business this year.

Aged with authority and authenticity: âVisionsâ reminds us just how forward-thinking the Beta Records founder has always been. Strictly doing his own thing since he came into the game at 18; John penned âVisionsâ as two distinct chapters, both parts grasping two of late 90s drum & bassâs most exciting sounds and pulling them into groundbreaking new directions.

Part one, âOrganicâ saw John swerve the standard sample-smashing of the era to create warm, full bodied natural grooves from real musicians. In a stark twist of contrast, part two âSyntheticâ foretold both the techstep phenomenon and his own angular, precision electro edge that were to soundtrack our entrance into the new century. One side au natural, one side machine manufactured: both techniques and approaches still dominant in drum & bass today… âVisionsâ by name, visionary by nature.

It also comes complete with total remake of his hugely successful Vangelis-inspired âStarburstâ. Previously constructed on analogue synths, âStarburst 2016â was re-created from the ground up with modern synths and contemporary production. While the scene continues to forage for antiquities, John shows us the other side of the sonic coin once again.

âStarburstâ isnât the only track to enjoy an update: every track you hear on the album has been remastered. The production, however, remains timeless: No one knew how well âVisionsâ would sound 18 years later. No one knew how well it would document drum & bassâs infant years. Still sounding slick and bursting with creative ideas, the album tells the story of both an artist and a genre growing up, fizzing with directions and ambitions.

âOrganicâ: A maze of mischievous jazz and funk experimentalism. A sharp sense of youthful melody and off-beat surprises await as we spring through the horn-heavy haze of tracks such as âSax Therapyâ, âJazz Sessionâ, the purring keys and slap bass of âSlamfunk (Moog Remix)â and sunset soul of âReflectionsâ. The spacious, Orient-focused penultimate track âThe Second Judgementâ teases for the darkness of whatâs set to follow…

âSyntheticâ: While the first part showcased Johnâs funkier, soulful musicality, âSyntheticâ really established his pedigree as a premiership producer. Forecasting todayâs highly technical, synthetic production style you can hear John pushing his machines to their limits, finding new sounds and techniques. The wriggling alien bass of âVCFâ, the razor-sharp Detroitian electro iciness of âElectro Shockâ, the iron-fist two-step and sci-fi breakdown of âTravelogueâ. Not to mention the clear proto techstep dynamics of âSight Beyondâ and âSecretsâ. Several years ahead of their time, they play a role in one of the most gamechanging chapters in drum & bass.

No surprises, then, that âVisionsâ found home in the selections of the most influential DJs at the time – Grooverider, SS, Adam F, Goldie, Photek. Itâs here where John dug deep foundations for his fusionist, futurist signature: an amorphous sense of development and narrative, tightly balanced shades and contrasts, well-chiselled breaks and sharp synthesis.

Every genre has its small selection of pivotal albums that show clear signs of progression, influence and documentation and brand new benchmarks: âVisionsâ is an album that lives up to its name in ways John never could have imagined at the time. The future is now…

âOne of D&Bâs few genuine global super-producersâŚ John B really is in a league of his ownâŚ Remember John Bâs unique contribution to the genreâ. -Mixmag

John B is one of electronic musicâs most distinctive, creative and consistent contributors. Splicing genre DNA like a modern mad scientist. His latest offering ‘Damages’ featuring the ethereal vocals of Shaz Sparks, is true testament to this.

‘ANTHEMIC’ is the only way to describe this slice of BIG ROOM D&B.

John’s razor sharp production is musically monstrous as always, while Shaz’s voice lends an other-worldly essence to the proceedings. Next up is Johns’s Deep House, mix which slows everything down but keeps the vibe large. Then lastly the package comes with a ‘Live Mix’ for your listening pleasure.

This summer the world is dancing to a rampant red blooded rhythm… From Rio to Rome, our soundtrack is fuelled by hip-snaking sambas, the rump-shaking rhumbas and body-blasting bossas. Rhythms that instantly grab you and hurl you into a carnivalian frenzy, there’s no better celebration of this sound than Beta Recordings’ ‘Carnival Drum & Bass’.

Latin music and bright, sprightly drum & bass fit each other like two partners in a steamy salsa dance. Just as it has in football, Brazil has become one of the D&B game’s largest creative exporters outside of the UK. Like all fiery relationships, this hot Latin influence has gone both ways with some of the genre’s leading UK exponents exploring the Latin quarters’ roots with the same mi gusta gusto.

Senor Juan B is one of the first pioneering UK exponents to nail these explorations. The playful patrĂŁo at Chihuahua Recordings, Juan is the alter-ago of Beta bossman John B. A chance for the agenda-setting artist don his Copacabana budgie smugglers and flex his funkiest of muscles, Juan has been dealing strictly in carnal carnival sonics for over 15 years…

Shimmering guitars, punctuated pianos, dramatic horns, enormous rhythms that capture you physically and mentally, his mischievous remit of red hot emotion and sun-kissed soul has now been fully remastered and updated, featuring cuts from fellow artists Grag Packer, Blu Mar Ten and Nu:Tone PLUS two brand new tracks exclusive to this album.

‘Take Me To La Cinta’ was written by John during a darker period in his usually colourful life. Recovering from an operation, he missed his annual pilgrimage to his spiritual home, Sardinia’s legendary Sun & Bass festival. Flipping the negative for something truly positive, his convalescing session has led to a timeless roller that slaps with double-bass badness and shakes with piano-primed sentiment.

The other brand new track, ‘A Man Is Just A Man’, sees John teaming up with one of dance music’s most distinctive vocalists… Darrison. His golden harmonies coating the lolloping piano samba like a snug bikini, what begins as a touching, soulful serenade quickly switches to a classic D&B jam with one of the cheekiest basslines you’ll find all year. A reminder of the genre’s original melting-pot mentality; you will not find a better example of how solid, trusting and ultimately complementary Latin music and drum & bass are.

Where the slinkiest of writhes and the most infectious of percussive dynamics meet with true fire, each of these 22 sizzling swing-joints is capable of raising a sultry smile and razing a hot dancefloor at 20 sultry paces. 2014’s world-unifying Carnival has only just begun… And this is your soundtrack!

30 minute preview ‘Mini-Mix’ of some of the remixes you will find on the new ‘Deluxe Edition’ of John B’s latest album ‘Light Speed’ – out on 9 June 2014 on iTunes, Beatport, Amazon & all digital stores.

The new ‘Deluxe’ Edition of John B’s 2012 ‘Light Speed’ album, now features an additional 25 remixes and 2 full length DJ mixes, one of the original tracks (different from the original CD version mix) and the second a cross-genre continuous DJ mix featuring a selection of the best remixes from the project spanning EDM, Dubstep, Techno, Electro, Trance & of course Drum & Bass.

Following the rich vein of melodic, star-gazing sonic form set by his previous single – the blistering nĂ˘âŹâ˘ beautiful Ă˘âŹËLove AgainĂ˘âŹâ˘ Ă˘âŹâ Ă˘âŹËThe JourneyĂ˘âŹâ˘ is yet another highlight from his Mixmag acclaimed album highlight Ă˘âŹËLight SpeedĂ˘âŹâ˘. Opening with the trembling, angels-from-heaven style intro, itĂ˘âŹâ˘s an instant flashback to the heady days of Sasha & Digweed at their prime; delicate, enrapturing, dreamy, euphoric. A perfect set opener, a perfect set finale, a perfect moment for deep, shivering reflection mid-setĂ˘âŹÂŚ ItĂ˘âŹâ˘s an instant ear-catcher, whenever you drop it.

As the intro develops, weĂ˘âŹâ˘re snapped away from our progressive reverie and slammed into the future with JohnĂ˘âŹâ˘s robust beats, trademark crisp electro bassline and floating synth work. By the time Swedish artist Code 64Ă˘âŹâ˘s perfect vocal delivery enters the mix all watches in a five mile radius are automatically set to Ă˘âŹËrush oĂ˘âŹâ˘ clockĂ˘âŹâ˘. Executing an impeccable balance between dancefloor power and genuine song-writing, itĂ˘âŹâ˘s yet another reason why John B is respected as such a unique artist. Not just in drum & bass, but the wider world of electronic music.

Remix-wise youĂ˘âŹâ˘re in for a treat as Beta have invited the unstoppable Metrik to the fold for a very special remix! A firm fave at the Hospital camp, Metrik is unavoidable right now. Leading the charge of D&BĂ˘âŹâ˘s next generation with an ability to fuse raw production power with the subtleties of melody and vocal dynamics, heĂ˘âŹâ˘s the perfect remix candidate for Ă˘âŹËThe JourneyĂ˘âŹâ˘. Paying respect to JohnĂ˘âŹâ˘s original, MetrikĂ˘âŹâ˘s given the bass a major beef boost, tweaked the arrangement with his own space-bound arpeggios and bolstered the beats. Where JohnĂ˘âŹâ˘s original was a moment of dancefloor reflection, MetrikĂ˘âŹâ˘s version is a moment of dancefloor detonation.

Complete with an acoustic version and all manner of instrumentals and radio edits, thereĂ˘âŹâ˘s an ideal solution for every platform, every club, every time of the night.

Bringing 2012 to a fitting finale, John B’s dancefloor dominance continues unabated with the emotion-drenched piece de resistance from his critically acclaimed album ‘Light Speed’.

Sparkling with his trademark pristine production and melodic mindset, this perky-but-poignant roller alone explains his LP scored Album of the Month and Album of the Week from Mixmag and The Independent respectively. A producer who’s never cared for fickle flavours, John’s baked his own slice of electronic music pie and you can taste the confidence and creativity in everything he does. This includes the A&R on his own label, Beta… As proved by the remixes he’s commissioned for this blistering release.

But first, the original… A filmic fusion of sonic sentiments; ‘Love Again’ boasts the ideal balance of elements. The delicate pianos counter softly with John’s cannon-like arrangement of Jillian’s alluring vocals as the powerful drum & bass engine revs and purrs underneath. It’s a picture perfect piece that appeals to the mind, body and dancefloor, and it comes in both original and edited forms.

Remix-wise John’s secured three refreshing takes, each of which drive the melodic masterpiece into a whole new playing field. Man of the moment Enei adds the raw, mechanical oomph he’s renowned, tipping a respectful nod to John’s formative repertoire with growling bass and spliced, chop-tickling drumwork. Meanwhile Swedish D&B powerhouse Seba applies his own technique and textures to create a spacious, spell-binding reversion that whooshes and whirrs with late night grace and floating bass.

And for those who enjoy a more pensive, dramatic approach, Tempa terror LX One adds a whole new halfstep stance. Dark, deep and deadly, it’s a slow and steady headnod to the FWD flavour of dubstep; subdued but solid, it’s a refreshing reminder of the subtle textures dubstep can carry when in the right hands.

Finally John completes the set with his own Till Sunrise remix. Keeping the pianos and vocals firmly in check, he adds a steppier rhythm and an immersive bassline that oozes an infectious, progressive electro charm. If anything’s going to keep you dancing till sun-up, it’s this.

From albums to accolades via action-packed singles, it’s been an incredible year for John B. ‘Love Again’ summarises his successes perfectly.